Kakadu

On the way to Kakadu we stopped at the big sign that said Kakadu National Park to have a photo. Kakadu is the largest national park in Australia. 

Our first campsite was Maguk with a beautiful waterfall next door that we swam in. When we swam in it we used our snorkles that daddy bought in Katherine. We saw lots of little barras and zebra looking fish. I put my head under a waterfall for the first time and it was a bit noisey but it was relaxing too. 

We drove on some 4wd roads to get to the Twin Falls carpark for our big walk. It was pretty hot at first but when we got higher into the monsoon rainforest it was a bit cooler. There were conga lines of butterflies everywhere and some rocks shaped like a monkey temple. We saw the waterfall coming out of the rocks and a view of the gorge. We had to be cautious near some of the dark water because there might have been crocs. We saw a Merten’s Water Monitor that was too quick for a photo but we watched it skip across the rocks and swim in the water. 

We did some more 4wding and then we got to Jim Jim falls. It was a shorter walk than Twin Falls but we were all really tired. Jim Jim Falls weren’t running because it’s the dry season. It was dark water so it felt a bit unsafe. It wasn’t as pretty as Maguk. 

On Wednesday night we went to the Yellow Water Cruise in Cooinda. I was really excited to go on the cruise. We got to see lots of crocodiles, some kingfishers, buffalos, sea eagles, whistling kites and whistling ducks. The cruise was nice because we got to see lots of crocodiles and it was at sunset. After the cruise we went to the resort and had pizza for dinner. Mum and I had a pineapple pizza but we gave all the pineapple to Isaac and dad. 

The next day we were me and mum were signed up for a weaving workshop. Isaac and dad weren’t allowed to do it because they are boys. We waited and waited for about an hour but they didn’t show up. The ranger came back and said sorry guys the weaving has been cancelled because lots of the people in the community are sick. I felt really sad when it was cancelled. Then I thought maybe the painting session we are booked in for won’t happen either. 

We then went to the rock art place called Ubirr. There were interesting patterns and pictures that they drew on the rocks with ochre. We climbed up to the lookout and could see Arnham Land, flood plains and rivers. 

We went on a walk that was super boring because it was flat. It said it was a monsoon forest like the other walk but it wasn’t as good. When we stopped for lunch mum thought she saw a scorpion. After the walk we went to the swimming pool at Cooinda. It was nice because we hadn’t been in a pool for awhile. I scrapped my little toe on the bottom of the pool. Isaac and I played swim schools. 

Our last day in Kakadu we waited for the painting workshop. When they were setting up I felt really excited. I thought we were going to do dot painting but it was line painting. We were given paints and some pictures to copy. I painted some water lillies but they didn’t look exactly the same as the picture

Then we went to Cahills Crossing to see the crocodiles at high tide. We saw heaps and heaps of crocodiles with their mouths open waiting for fish to go in their mouth. Then when they did get a fish they crunched it so it stopped wiggling in it’s mouth.